Newsline

James Knapp Named To NSCAA Scholar All-Region

HAMBURG, NY – James Knapp (Lockport, NY/St. Mary’s) was named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Scholar All-Region team which marks the first time a player from the men’s soccer program at Hilbert College received this type of honor. The senior defender was recognized for his solid work in the classroom as much as his performance on the field with his selection to the Honorable Mention Scholar All-East Region team.

Knapp currently carries a 3.76 cumulative grade point average and expects to graduate in May 2013 with a degree in forensic science/crime scene investigation. The three-year captain started 70 games for the Hawks and helped transform the academic and athletic culture in the men’s soccer program. This past November, at the conclusion of his final season, Knapp was named to the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Third Team All-Conference based on his athletic abilities. He has also been named to the AMCC Academic All-Conference Team since his freshman year.

“James was a work horse in the back, marking the opponent’s top striker,” explained Jeff Panik, Hilbert’s second-year head coach. “His speed and determination made him difficult for any forward to beat. He also took on more offensive responsibility this season and his three assists proved his value to the team.”

The 2012 men’s soccer team finished with a six-game win improvement and set eight new offensive records. With their 7-9-1 slate, the Hawks qualified for the program’s first even AMCC play-off game.

Hilbert College, located in suburban Hamburg, N.Y., south of Buffalo, is a private four-year college founded in 1957 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition. With nearly 1,100 students, Hilbert is a dynamic Western New York college that offers career-focused majors, including one of the top criminal justice programs in the region, and more than 50 minors and concentrations. The college’s engaging, student-centered campus community offers numerous leadership, internship, and service learning opportunities from which students launch successful careers while making positive changes in their communities. The Hilbert Blueprint promotes a well-rounded student experience over four years – starting with the Foundations Seminar in the freshman year, followed by Sophomore Service, Junior Symposium, and culminating with the Senior Capstone. Hilbert has expanded its academic offerings with the college’s first graduate programs and new Accelerated Degree Programs geared to adult learners.